VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Endorsed by Planned Parenthood; supports abortion rights: Strongly Favors topic 1 Litmus test for Supreme Court nominees on abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 Champion of woman's ability to make her own decisions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Massachusetts should lead in protecting right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Born-Alive Survivors bill tries to illegalize abortion: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Judicially liberal, according to CC survey: Favors topic 1 Pro-Planned Parenthood, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 1 Anti-parental notification, according to CC survey: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	History of voting for women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 100% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ratify CEDAW (Discrimination Against Women): Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Maintain LGBT health info on federal websites: Strongly Favors topic 3 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 Pro-transgender bathrooms, according to CC survey: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: America was founded on Christian values (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 7% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supported ObamaCare but would repeal aspects of it: Opposes topic 5 Expand online clinical trials registry: Favors topic 5 COVID: Trump's response "criminally negligent": Strongly Favors topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish a National Diabetes Coordinator: Favors topic 5 Merge Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatizing, or any changes that reduce benefits: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Oppose Bush's Social Security benefit cut: Opposes topic 6 Reject proposals for private saving accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Rated 92% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (+5 points on Social scale)	Nuclear power is a very expensive way to boil water: Favors topic 8 Prohibits commercial logging on Federal public lands: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Prohibits breeding or possessing Big Cat species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Sponsored enforcing against illegal ocean fishing: Opposes topic 8 Endorsed Endorsed by LCV; supports conservation efforts: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Deregulating banks encourages discriminatory practices: Opposes topic 8 Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+5 points on Social scale)	Ban "weapons of war" including tear gas from police use: Opposes topic 9 Rated 78% by CURE, indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 9 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Defund the police, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Fight the NRA for broader gun control measures: Strongly Favors topic 10 Expand background checks; ban assault weapons; fight NRA: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Ban "fire sale" of firearms after delicensing closure: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10 Stricter regulation on gun show firearm sales: Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 Pro-gun rights, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Sponsored bill for background checks for private transfers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Higher-income people should pay their fair share of taxes: Strongly Favors topic 11 American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Rated 25% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 Sponsored enforcing against corporate offshore tax haven banking: Favors topic 11 Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11 Make employee educational assistance tax-deductible: Favors topic 11 Undo tax cuts, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 11 Keep inheritance tax, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Would not trade protecting DACA for wall: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 Anti-border security, according to CC survey: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency: Opposes topic 13 Declare Turkish rebar subject to anti-dumping duties: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Fight Chinese predatory trade practices on car tires: Strongly Opposes topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Oppose USMCA until more environmental & job protections: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes topic 13 Ban imports from Xinjiang made by Uyghur forced labor: Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Stay away from the UN & Globalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees now, and more later: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Enforce humanitarian aid access to South Sudan: Opposes topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14 Sponsored bill to monitor forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang: Strongly Favors topic 14 Sponsored bill to oppose Israeli annexation of West Bank: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Peace through Strength (+5 points on Social scale)	Take US nuclear missiles off high alert: Opposes topic 15 Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Defund nuclear-armed aircraft and nuclear R&D or testing: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials: Opposes topic 15 Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Stay out of foreign wars (+2 points on Social scale)	COVID: Supported travel ban from China: Favors topic 17 2003 Iraq war vote was a mistake; 2013 Syria vote was not: Opposes topic 17 No coherent strategy for exiting from Iraq: Favors topic 17 Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 Member of the Out-of-Iraq Congressional Caucus: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Defund US military presence in Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Hold Assad accountable for slaughter of civilians: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 Pro-Israel, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sponsored resolution to repeal 2002 AUMF against Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Simply unneeded to subsidize oil industry: Strongly Favors topic 18 More offshore wind and solar--but no Green New Deal: Strongly Favors topic 18 Green New Deal has shifted the whole discussion: Strongly Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 Sponsored Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports medical marijuana & marijuana banking: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated +20 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Harsher sentencing for "pill mill" operators: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 75% by NORML, indicating a pro-legalization stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated C+ by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19 Criminalize imports of opioid precursors: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Sequestration is another word for mindless cuts: Strongly Favors topic 20 Pay for $2000 stimulus checks by repealing Trump tax cuts: Strongly Favors topic 20 90% tax on executive bonuses at companies receiving TARP: Strongly Favors topic 20 Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20 $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Favors topic 20

Ed Markey is a Hard-Core Liberal
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